The Three 6 Mafia is a pillar of the southern Hip-Hop community. They elevated it to a place it had never been prior to their arrival. And so in addition to Juicy J’s reason of money, AllHipHop.com thought of 5 other reasons he should reunite with Three 6 Mafia (none of which detract from his ambitions as a solo artist, see #4).

Let’s hope that when the smoke clears this time, all the original members are present. A Three 6 Mafia record just doesn’t sound like one without everybody there.

5). Hypnotize Minds

Not to say that artists can’t be successful on different labels, they certainly can. Hypnotize Minds though is a record label started by Three 6 Mafia in the mid 90s and so it would be very fitting if the collective was able to come full circle and reunite at a place they started together as the Three 6 Mafia. It can’t happen though without Juicy J. This would be a better look and make a more powerful statement than what is currently set in place- the group reunited minus Juicy J as Da Mafia 6 on Scale-A-Ton Entertainment.

4). Even if a Group Member Goes for Self, it Can Still be a Victory for Everyone

Like the Wu-Tang Clan’s gap between Wu-Tang Forever and The W, similar things can be said for Three 6 Mafia’s recent hiatus: an established Hip-Hop group takes a break and members work on solo endeavors. But things in Hip-Hop change fast and just as how albums like Ghostface Killah’s Supreme Clientele helped build momentum for The W after the Wu had been off the scene for a minute, Juicy J should do the samein order to help set up Three 6 Mafia for a proper reintroduction. By him dropping a solo joint with Wiz Khalifa’s Taylor Gang Records (where he’s currently signed) prior to re-joining Three 6 Mafia on a new project, it could be a great way to connect the rap of yesterday and today. It would help introduce newer rap fans to Hip-Hop veterans and show older school Hip-Hop heads that a group that has been in existence for over twenty years can still compete with the modern Hip-Hop scene.

3). Not the Same Group Without Original Members

Another group that Three 6 Mafia can learn from is N.W.A. After Ice Cube left the group and Efil4zaggin dropped, the response to the album was good. But it just wasn’t the same without Cube. And to this day, O’Shea Jackson is still strongly associated with the group even though he only appeared on their debut album. It’s safe to say that Juicy J will have a similar fate with Three 6 Mafia no matter what the future holds. So why not reunite the Three 6 Mafia that everybody wants to see instead of put together a variation of it? The group’s underground classic “Tear Da Club Up” just wouldn’t sound right without Juicy’s verse.

2). Oscar Win

To many, selling out means compromising artistic integrity in order to make money. However, Three 6 Mafia (Juicy J included) did no such thing when they made “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp.” The song was used for the John Singleton-produced film Hustle & Flow which tells the story of a Memphis pimp who aspires to turn his life around by becoming a rapper. The film was a critical and commercial success which garnered so much mainstream attention that the Three 6 Mafia even won an Oscar for “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” in 2006. In the words of the Oscar host Jon Stewart not long after their win, “Martin Scorsese: 0, Three 6 Mafia: 1.”

1). Production

In addition to his rhymes, Juicy J is also skilled behind the boards. Without his sonic contributions (in addition to DJ Paul’s), the Three 6 Mafia’s extensive catalogue would be missing such classic sounds as the Willie Hutch sampled “Stay Fly,” or the mellow vibe of “Sippin’ on Some Syrup.” For a long time, the sound of Southern Hip-Hop was limited to Miami bass. Fortunately, Three 6 Mafia helped expand the southern sound and Hip-Hop is definitely better because of it. For even further evidence of Juicy J’s creative production skills, check out Project Pat’s “Run a Train” where Juicy J recorded people actually having sex in the studio and put the resulting audio on the finished track.

What do you think? Can Three 6 Mafia reunite successfully without Juicy J? Will the group still have it after all these years? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!